I was optimistic early on, especially as tools like Chat GPT started gaining traction. But I quickly ran into the same problems many of you probably have:

• AI hallucinations in coding tasks
• Legal summaries that were confidently wrong
• A flood of new tools that felt impossible to keep up with

There was a moment where I genuinely felt behind, even overwhelmed. It’s not easy to admit that as a founder. The pace was disorienting, and the noise made it hard to separate signal from hype.

The Turning Point: Getting Hands-On

Everything started to shift when I stopped trying to consume AI as a spectator and started building real things with it.

Through client work and internal projects, we began experimenting with automation pipelines, linking AI tools together to reduce manual effort. Instead of asking, “Can AI do this for me?” we started asking, “How can AI support this process?”

We made progress. Slowly at first, but then quickly. So, what changed?

• I learned how to talk to LLMs in ways that improved accuracy and reduced hallucinations.
• I followed AI experts (shoutout to Andrej Karpathy and others) who helped cut through the noise.
• I joined communities like SaaS Academy where AI is used in the trenches, not just on the whiteboard.

Real-World Examples That Inspired Me

Watching companies like Chili Piper leverage AI to supercharge sales workflows, which is when the potential started to feel real.

We started experimenting internally too — with AI-generated videos, content drafts, and even customer profiling tools.

The results weren’t perfect but they were useful and repeatable.

The Magic Ingredient? Automation.

Here’s what I believe now: AI is only as useful as the automation it’s embedded into.

A standalone chatbot is cool. A connected pipeline of tools that trigger tasks, generate outputs, and keep humans in the loop? That’s where the real leverage is.

Leading Through the Shift

One of the most unexpected challenges has been leadership.

Our team spans multiple generations, skill sets, and comfort levels with AI. It’s one thing to understand this stuff yourself, and it’s another to help others see the opportunity and build confidence.

That’s my focus now: leading a team toward an AI-first mindset while building systems that actually work. No fluff. Just tools that save time, reduce error, and open up space for creativity and human connection.

You’re Not Behind

If you’re feeling like AI is moving too fast, you’re not alone. But the good news is you haven’t missed the boat. You’re right on time if you’re willing to experiment, stay curious, and focus on useful over flashy.

AI isn’t replacing us. It’s relieving us of the tedious stuff so we can focus on what actually matters.

Let’s build toward that.